Top athletes.
Andrew MacAulay and Chanelle Fortin are the 2012 Arnprior District High School senior athletes of the year. Both also won awards in track and field, and snowboarding, respectively.
Derek Dunn
Neil Farmer glances around, smiling at the 200 students and parents in the gymnasium on June 18. The principal points to the many talented athletes and dedicated coaches when asked how sports went at Arnprior District High School this year.
“The turnout tonight speaks volumes for how the year went,” Farmer said. “Given the past few years you wouldn’t think it could be better.”
Just last week well over 50 athletes on three teams – rugby, soccer, and track – were at provincial competitions. For one of the smaller high schools in Ontario, a small town school suffering from declining enrollment, the students continue to excel.
Farmer, who at the banquet’s end joined in giving a standing ovation to a number of teachers to be laid off at the end of this school year because of population decline, ventured a guess as to why sports programs do so well.
“The time and effort of coaches; that dedication that we see from teachers,” he said. “The early mornings and late nights, I think (teachers and students) think it’s almost expected to keep it going every year. They all want to be a part of it.”
There is concern some 12 sports could be affected by the teacher cuts.
PRIDE AT SCHOOL, IN TOWN
Phil Moore is the school’s athletic director and emcee during the awards show. He drew a link between the school and town, and the reciprocal feelings of pride.
“Our school is an active and vibrant component of our community,” Moore said. “We all have much to be proud of and thankful for.”
That pride and gratitude was evident in words used by the top two individual award recipients. The 2012 senior female and male athletes of the year are Chanelle Fortin and Andrew MacAulay.
“Winning top female athlete back to back for me feels amazing,” Fortin said.
“I would have never thought that my hard work and dedication to the sports I love most (snowboarding, rugby, and volleyball) would pay off. I am so proud to be a Redmen and wouldn’t trade teams for the world. Winning this award to me is only the beginning of great accomplishments to come.”
MacAulay thanked each coach by name for helping him become a better athlete, and in turn for helping him have a better high school experience.
“Receiving the award particularly meant a lot to me because I wasn’t very confident in my athletic ability when I came in to high school but was encouraged to try out for multiple teams (football, basketball and track and field) and to my surprise excelled athletically,” MacAulay said.
“From the first football practice to my last track practice, sports at ADHS have basically made high school for me and to be recognized publicly for the goals I have achieved and the accomplishments I’ve had was a very memorable moment.”
The list of Athletic awards given out at the athletic banquet were:
Colin Hood OFSSA school sport awards
Female: Maureen Freemark; Male: Ryan Kargus; Coach: Joe Lavoie.
E.A. McIntyre award: Curtis McGrath.
Top junior female athlete: Emma Shoveller.
Top junior male athlete: Nathan Toman.
Top female athlete: Chanelle Fortin.
Top male athlete: Andrew MacAulay.
Cross-country (coached by Kate McKenna and Tanya Box)
Most improved male: Scott Parsons; Most improved female: Sara Young; Most dedicated male: David Parsons; Most dedicated female: Emma Baird; Male MVP: Rowan Morris; Female MVP: Michelle Wheeler.
Senior girls rugby (coached by Glenn Wallace and Zach Robitaille)
Top back rookie: Lisa Roesler, Top forward rookie: Jessica Couture; Forward MVP: Rachel Boersma; Back MVP: Kaitlyn McLeod and Sandra Hudson.
Junior boy’s football (coached by Stan Ball, Ryan McKenna, Jim Anas and Jaime Ball)
Most improved: Chris Vanderdyt; Spirit and sportsmanship: Brandon Potter; Top rookie: Keenan Laughlin and Carter Wilson; Best lineman: Darren Mayhew; MVP: Nathan Toman and Riley Dunn.
Senior boys football (coached by Al Luimes, Steve Staye, David Herrick and Trevor Rosien)
3D: Andrew Lesk; Spirit and sportsmanship: Brandon Firlotte; Top rookie: Jaegar Prot; Most improved: Hugh Colbert and Ryan Kargus; Best lineman: Liam Schreiter and Tim Choukair; MVP: Mitch Bott.
Junior girls basketball (coached by Joe Lavoie, Sarah Spratt and Dan Lavallee)
Most improved: Brooke Reid and Rachael Emard; Top defender: Sam Caesar; Top rookie: Keisha Clark; ADHS award (ardour, dedication, heart, spirit): Shawna Burnett and Melissa Kargus; MVP: Emma Shoveller.
Senior girls basketball (coached by Dan Lavallee, Joe Lavoie and Sarah Spratt)
Top defender: Tasha Zoryk; Top rookie: Shannon Power; ADHS award: Jenn McNulty MVP: Alexis Lough and Melissa Plascott.
Senior boys volleyball (coached by Graeme Wyatt)
Most dedicated: Ryan Veninga; MVP: Connor Schriver.
Golf (coached by Frank Pecora)
MVP: Stuart Stevens.
Wrestling (coached by Kevin Mayhew)
Most dedicated: Jeff Cloutier; Top rookie: John Dolan; Female MVP: Rebecca Dolan; Male MVP: Darren Mayhew;
Junior boys basketball (coached by Dan Lavallee and Derek Stashick)
Top rookie: Chris Gervais; Most improved: Brody Flegal; MVP: Nathan Toman and Riley Dunn.
Senior boys basketball (coached by Phil Moore and Bruce Shoveller)
Top rookie: Cody Moore and Jaegar Prot; Top defender: Connor Schriver; Most improved: Jeff Campbell; MVP: Mike Shoveller.
Junior girls volleyball (coached by Robyn Carr and Marisa Bosa)
Top rookie: Hannah Blair: Dig (dedication, integrity, good sportsmanship): Bonnie McGonigal; MVP: Sam Caesar and Casey Beaudon.
Senior girls volleyball (coached by Sarah Spratt)
Top rookie: Stephanie Hicks; Dig: Alexis Lough; Top veteran: Taylor Murdoch.
Varsity girls hockey (coached by Ryan and Kate McKenna)
Spirit and sportsmanship: Jenn McNulty
Alpine skiing (coached by Karen Dodds, Krista Petrie-Wallace and Kate McKenna)
Top rookie: Andrew rueckwald; Level 1 female MVP: Maureen Freemark; Level 1 male MVP: Nic Headrick.
Snowboarding coached by Karen Dodds, Krista Petrie-Wallace and Kate McKenna)
Male rookie: Michael Smith; Level 1 female MVP: Chanelle Fortin; Level 1 male MVP: Derek Gray.
Badminton (coached by Dan Hickey, Kate McKenna and Mark Popiel)
Male MVP: Scott Forster; Female MVP: Bonnie McGonigal.
Tennis (coached by Jane Grant)
Most improved: Bonnie McGonigal; Male MVP: Mike Shoveller; Female MVP: Emma Shoveller.
Senior girls soccer (coached by Tanya Box, Marisa Bosa and Stacey Reid)
Female rookie: Vicki McQuatt; Most improved: Maria Georgiades; Top defender: Taylor Murdoch; Female MVP: Kelsey Chaplin.
Senior boys soccer (coached by Nathan Woods and Phil Moore)
Male rookie: Luc Deschamps; Top defender: Jake Woods; Most improved: Charlie Galley; Male MVP: Will Twardek.
Track and field (coached by Graeme Wyatt, Kelly Winter, Joe Lavoie, Kevin Friske, Dan Lavallee, Sarah Spratt, Ryan McKenna and Derek Stashick)
Top female rookie: Larissa Cameron; Top male rookie: Willy Ruddy; Most dedicated male: Dave Parsons and Justin Cameron; Most dedicated female: Michelle Wheeler; Most improved male: Tyler Poirier; Most improved female: Emma Baird; Female MVP: Michelle Wheeler; Male MVP: Andrew MacAulay.